It has been reported this week by Interfax-Ukraine that Ukraine has obtained a laser weapon capable of targeting and neutralizing low-flying aircraft and drones.
Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces revealed at the ‘European Defense Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defense Industry’ conference this week that it is now using a laser weapon, called ‘Tryzub’ (Trident) to shoot down aerial targets at an altitude of over two kilometers.
The addition of laser weaponry to the Ukrainian arsenal makes it, according to Colonel Sukharevskiy, the fifth country to possess such a weapon. The United Kingdom, for instance, successfully tested the DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) in January of this year, and just last week the government announced the British Army had successfully deployed its first ever directed energy laser from a Wolfhound armored vehicle.
The US has also heavily focused on laser weapons through collaboration with various industry partners and service branches, whilst MBDA and Leonardo signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week to develop a LDEW for the Italian Navy. Conversely, it was reported in October that Iran has deployed a Chinese laser system designed to counter UAS.
